Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Hematology & Oncology for April 2012. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Screening Benefits Women in 40s With High Breast CA Risk
MONDAY, April 30 (HealthDay News) -- Women in their 40s, with at least a two-fold increased risk of breast cancer, benefit from biennial screening mammography; and having extremely dense breasts or first-degree relatives with breast cancer is associated with a two-fold increased risk of breast cancer for women in their 40s, according to two studies published in the May 1 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Votrient Approved to Treat Advanced Soft Tissue Sarcoma
FRIDAY, April 27 (HealthDay News) -- Votrient (pazopanib) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat people with advanced soft tissue sarcoma who have received previous chemotherapy.
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Cancer Worry Linked to Continued Symptom Burden
FRIDAY, April 27 (HealthDay News) -- Age, fatigue, symptom burden, and risk perception are significantly associated with greater cancer worry three years after completing adjuvant treatment for breast cancer, according to a study published online March 15 in Psycho-Oncology.
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Excessive Neutropenia for Weekly Everolimus + Docetaxel
FRIDAY, April 27 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with metastatic breast cancer, weekly treatment with everolimus plus docetaxel every three weeks results in dose-limiting neutropenia and variable clearance of both drugs, according to a phase 1 study published in the May 1 issue of Cancer.
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Nutrition, Exercise Guidelines Updated for Cancer Survivors
THURSDAY, April 26 (HealthDay News) -- The American Cancer Society has updated the 2006 guidelines to provide new evidence and clinical practices related to nutrition and physical activity for cancer survivors during the continuum of cancer care, according to a report published online April 26 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
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Subtype Best Predictor of Basal Cell Carcinoma Invasion Depth
THURSDAY, April 26 (HealthDay News) -- Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) subtype identified on biopsy and excision specimens is the best predictor of depth of invasion, according to a study published online April 16 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
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Age, Life Expectancy Influence Termination of PSA Screening
THURSDAY, April 26 (HealthDay News) -- Most primary care providers consider both a man's age and life expectancy in deciding whether to discontinue prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screenings, but multiple factors are involved in this decision, according to a study published online April 19 in Cancer.
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Thiazolidinediones Tied to Lower Cancer Risk in Diabetes Patients
THURSDAY, April 26 (HealthDay News) -- Thiazolidinediones are associated with a lower risk of liver and colorectal cancer in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a study published in the May issue of Hepatology.
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Adjuvant Therapy Shows Promise in Biliary Tract Cancer
THURSDAY, April 26 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with biliary tract cancers, postresection adjuvant therapy with chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy appears to be beneficial in treating patients with biliary tract cancers, with significant improvement seen for patients with node or margin positivity, according to research published online April 23 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Erosive, but Not Nonerosive, GERD Ups Esophageal CA Risk
WEDNESDAY, April 25 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease with a history of esophagitis are at increased risk for esophageal adenocarcinoma, although the absolute risk is low, according to a study published in the May issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
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No Benefit of Induction Chemo, High-Dose Boost in Anal Cancer
WEDNESDAY, April 25 (HealthDay News) -- Neither induction chemotherapy (ICT) nor high-dose radiation boost is associated with an improvement in five-year colostomy-free survival (CFS) in patients with locally advanced anal canal carcinoma (LAACC), according to a study published online April 23 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Warfarin Keeps Stroke Risk Low in Patients With A-Fib
WEDNESDAY, April 25 (HealthDay News) -- Use of warfarin for stroke prevention in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a low risk of stroke or systemic embolism, according to a meta-analysis published in the April 23 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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High Survival With Surgery in Low-Risk Neuroblastoma
WEDNESDAY, April 25 (HealthDay News) -- Surgery alone results in high five-year event-free and overall survival (EFS and OS) rates for patients with low-risk stage 2a and 2b neuroblastoma (NBL), according to research published online April 23 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Bladder Cancer Diagnosis Encourages Smokers to Quit
MONDAY, April 23 (HealthDay News) -- Smokers with a new diagnosis of bladder cancer are significantly more likely to quit compared with smokers in the general population, according to a study published online April 23 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Pediatric Regimen Beats Adult Chemo for Young Adults With ALL
MONDAY, April 23 (HealthDay News) -- Adolescent and young adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who are treated with pediatric-inspired regimens exhibit lower all-cause mortality, higher complete remission and event-free survival rates, and lower relapse rates compared with those treated with conventional adult-chemotherapy regimens, according to a study published in the May issue of the American Journal of Hematology.
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CDC: HPV-Associated Cancers Strike More Than 30,000 Yearly
THURSDAY, April 19 (HealthDay News) -- Cancers associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV) are diagnosed in nearly 11 out of 100,000 men and women in the United States annually, and HPV vaccines play an important role in reducing the incidence of those cancers for which screening is not approved, according to a report published in the April 20 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.
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Chemoradiotherapy Combo Ups Bladder Cancer Control
WEDNESDAY, April 18 (HealthDay News) -- Locoregional control of muscle-invasive bladder cancer is significantly improved with a treatment regimen consisting of radiotherapy and concurrent chemotherapy with mitomycin C and fluorouracil, according to a phase 3 study published in the April 19 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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New Treatment Offers Benefit for Hypoxic Laryngeal Tumors
WEDNESDAY, April 18 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with squamous cell laryngeal cancer, regional control rates are improved with accelerated radiotherapy (AR) plus carbogen inhalation and nicotinamide (ARCON) treatment compared with AR-alone, with the improvement seen in patients with hypoxic tumors, according to research published online April 16 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Study Looks at Patient Perception of Harm During Cancer Care
WEDNESDAY, April 18 (HealthDay News) -- Cancer patients may often experience what they believe to be a preventable, harmful event during the diagnosis or treatment of their cancer, but rarely do they formally report these events, according to research published online April 16 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Fewer Complications With IMRT for Prostate Cancer
TUESDAY, April 17 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with nonmetastatic prostate cancer, treatment with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is associated with fewer complications than proton therapy or conformal radiation therapy, according to a study published in the April 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on comparative effectiveness research.
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Nutrition, Mobility Predict Early Death in Elderly Cancer Patients
TUESDAY, April 17 (HealthDay News) -- Low nutritional assessment scores, poor mobility, and advanced disease predict early death after chemotherapy initiation among elderly patients with cancer, according to a study published online April 16 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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2001 to 2006 Saw Increase in Mohs Surgery for Skin Cancer
TUESDAY, April 17 (HealthDay News) -- For Medicare beneficiaries, the rate of use of Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) to treat nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) doubled from 2001 through 2006, according to research published in the April issue of the Archives of Dermatology.
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Gender, BMI Impact Bladder Perforation During Resection
MONDAY, April 16 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with bladder tumors, female gender, low body mass index, and tumor characteristics correlate with the risk of bladder perforation during transurethral resection, according to research published in the May issue of The Journal of Urology.
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Herbal Carcinogen Linked to Urothelial Cancer in Taiwan
FRIDAY, April 13 (HealthDay News) -- A carcinogen produced by Aristolochia plants, which are commonly used in herbal remedies in Taiwan, is associated with signature types of DNA damage linked to aristolochic acid in Taiwanese patients with urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract (UUC), according to a study published online April 9 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Crizotinib Treatment Lowers Total Testosterone Levels
FRIDAY, April 13 (HealthDay News) -- Men with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with crizotinib exhibit rapid suppression of total testosterone (T) levels compared with those who do not receive crizotinib treatment, according to research published online April 4 in Cancer.
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Most Breast Cancer Survivors Experience Lasting Side Effects
FRIDAY, April 13 (HealthDay News) -- The majority of breast cancer survivors experience one or more treatment-related side effects, and the proportion remains stable at six years post-diagnosis, according to a study published in a special supplement to the April 15 issue of Cancer addressing the physical late effects of breast cancer treatment.
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Genes Identified for Ovarian Cancer Prognosis
FRIDAY, April 13 (HealthDay News) -- Bimodal genes, or molecular on/off switches, can distinguish clinically relevant subtypes of ovarian cancer and provide ideal targets for diagnostic and prognostic testing, according to a study published online April 11 in the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics.
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Copy Number Variants Tied to Increased Prostate Cancer Risk
THURSDAY, April 12 (HealthDay News) -- Copy number variants (CNVs) of two loci are linked to a significantly higher risk of prostate cancer, according to a study published online April 10 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Decreased Cancer Risk for Patients With PolyQ Diseases
THURSDAY, April 12 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases have reduced incidence of cancer, according to a study published online April 12 in The Lancet Oncology.
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Heterogeneity Characterizes Induction Failure in Child ALL
WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- Induction failure in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is characterized by biologic and clinical heterogeneity, according to a study published in the April 12 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Smoking Found to Be a Risk Factor for Barrett's Esophagus
WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- Cigarette smoking may be a modifiable risk factor for Barrett's esophagus, according to a study published in the April issue of Gastroenterology.
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Perception of Breast Cancer Care Differs From Actual Care Quality
WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- The perception of care for women living in inner cities with newly diagnosed, early-stage breast cancer is dependent, in large part, on factors other than the actual quality of care provided, including the quality of the process of getting care, trust in the physician, and perceptions of racism, according to research published online April 9 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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BMD Loss Occurs Early in Androgen Deprivation Therapy
WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- The highest average change in bone mineral density (BMD) occurs during early treatment of nonmetastatic, hormone-sensitive prostate cancer in men receiving intermittent androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), according to research published online April 9 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Injectable Contraceptive Linked to Elevated Breast Cancer Risk
TUESDAY, April 10 (HealthDay News) -- Recent use of the injectable contraceptive depo-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) for 12 months or longer may approximately double the risk of breast cancer in young women, according to a study published online Feb. 27 in Cancer Research.
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Strategy of Offering Choice of CRC Screening Ups Adherence
TUESDAY, April 10 (HealthDay News) -- Adherence to colorectal cancer (CRC) screening varies based on the screening strategy, with adherence linked to patient preference and ethnicity/race, according to a study published in the April 9 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Frequent, Older Dental X-Rays Linked to Brain Cancer
TUESDAY, April 10 (HealthDay News) -- Frequent bitewing or panorex dental X-rays taken on previous generations of machines are linked to an increased risk of intracranial meningioma, according to a study published online April 10 in Cancer.
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Insurers Should Screen Older Smokers for Lung Cancer
TUESDAY, April 10 (HealthDay News) -- Lung cancer screening with low-dose spiral computed tomography could be of substantial value in high-risk smoker populations over the age of 50, and commercial insurers should consider providing coverage for the screening, according to a study published in the April issue of Health Affairs.
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Tivozanib Exhibits Antitumor Activity in Renal Cancer
TUESDAY, April 10 (HealthDay News) -- The potent, selective vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1, -2, and -3 inhibitor, tivozanib, demonstrates antitumor activity and is well tolerated in patients with advanced/metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC), according to research published online April 9 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Early Response Is an Indicator for Rectal Cancer Survival
TUESDAY, April 10 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with locally advanced rectal cancer undergoing radical resection, response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy is an early marker that correlates with rates of recurrence-free survival, distant metastases, and local recurrences, according to research published online April 9 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Somatic Mutations in Two Genes ID'd in Stomach Cancer
MONDAY, April 9 (HealthDay News) -- Somatic mutations have been identified in two genes, FAT4 and ARID1A, involved in cell adhesion and chromatin remodeling in some patients with stomach cancer, according to a study published online April 8 in Nature Genetics.
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High U.S. Cancer Care Costs Seem to Be Worth It
MONDAY, April 9 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with cancer in the United States, the value of additional survival gains have exceeded the additional costs of U.S. health spending compared with European counties, according to a study published in the April issue of Health Affairs.
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Teen Alcohol Consumption Tied to Benign Breast Disease
MONDAY, April 9 (HealthDay News) -- Adolescent alcohol consumption is associated with increased risk of proliferative benign breast disease (BBD), which is a risk factor for breast cancer, and there is no evidence that adolescent folate intake provides a protective effect against alcohol-associated BBD, according to a study published online April 9 in Pediatrics.
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Statins Moderate Effect of Metformin on Prostate Cancer
MONDAY, April 9 (HealthDay News) -- For men with type 2 diabetes treated with metformin, prostate cancer (PCa) incidence varies depending on statin use, with a significantly reduced risk for patients taking a combination of metformin and statins, according to a study published online March 28 in Diabetes Care.
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Full Weight-Based Chemo Doses Recommended for Obese
THURSDAY, April 5 (HealthDay News) -- The American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline on Appropriate Chemotherapy Dosing for Obese Adult Patients With Cancer recommends using full weight-based cytotoxic chemotherapy doses to treat obese patients with cancer, according to an overview published online April 2 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Increased Breast Cancer Risk With False-Positive Test
THURSDAY, April 5 (HealthDay News) -- Women with false-positive mammogram tests remain at significantly higher risk of breast cancer for six or more years, compared to women with negative tests, but the size of the excess risk has decreased since the early 2000s, according to a study published online April 5 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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Addition of Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin Ups Survival in AML
THURSDAY, April 5 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with untreated de novo acute myeloid leukemia, the addition of gemtuzumab ozogamicin to standard frontline chemotherapy improves event-free, overall, and relapse-free survival, without causing excessive toxicity, according to a phase 3 study published online April 5 in The Lancet.
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Esophageal Cancer Surgery Has Lasting Effects on QoL
THURSDAY, April 5 (HealthDay News) -- Long-term survivors of esophageal cancer surgery who experience postoperative complications continue to experience long-lasting adverse effects on their health-related quality of life (HRQL), according to a study published online April 2 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Medical Malpractice Claims Incur Substantial Defense Costs
WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- Defense costs for medical malpractice claims vary among specialties and are higher for claims that result in indemnity payments, according to a letter published in the April 5 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Cancer Diagnosis Linked to Higher Immediate Suicide Risk
WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- A recent cancer diagnosis is associated with a higher risk of suicide and death from cardiovascular causes, with the risk being highest in the weeks after diagnosis, according to a study published in the April 5 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Reduced-Intensity Chemo Effective in Hodgkin's
WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- Treating patients with advanced-stage Hodgkin's lymphoma with a reduced-intensity, six-cycle BEACOPPescalated chemotherapy regimen is more effective and less toxic than eight cycles of the same regimen, according to a study published online April 4 in The Lancet.
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Metal-on-Metal Bearing Not Linked to Cancer Incidence
WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- Hip replacements with metal-on-metal bearing surfaces do not seem to be associated with cancer incidence, according to study published online April 3 in BMJ.
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Childhood Cancer Survivors at Risk for Cardiac Events
WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- Childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) treated with anthracyclines and/or cardiac irradiation have a higher risk of developing symptomatic cardiac events (CEs) in the long term, according to a study published online April 2 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Mammogram Plus MRI or Ultrasound Catches More Cancer
TUESDAY, April 3 (HealthDay News) -- The addition of an ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to annual mammography results in a higher rate of detection of incident breast cancers, according to a study published in the April 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Cetuximab With Chemo Doesn't Improve Colon Cancer Outcome
TUESDAY, April 3 (HealthDay News) -- Adding cetuximab to adjuvant chemotherapy does not improve disease-free survival in stage III colon cancer patients following surgical resection, according to a study published in the April 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Study Estimates Overdiagnosis From Mammography Screening
TUESDAY, April 3 (HealthDay News) -- Implementation of a mammography screening program leads to a substantial amount of overdiagnosis, according to a study published in the April 3 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Melanoma Incidence Increasing Among Young Adults
MONDAY, April 2 (HealthDay News) -- From 1970 to 2009, there was an increase in the incidence of melanoma among young adults, particularly females, according to a study published in the April issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
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Inhibition of Immune Pathway May Trigger Melanoma Growth
MONDAY, April 2 (HealthDay News) -- Melanocyte expression of an immune inhibitory molecule, B7-H1, is associated with the presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), according to a study published in the March 28 issue of Science Translational Medicine.
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